This Lion
by intensedreams
Summary: Snow White decides to hold an animal themed dress up party.


*Smidgeon mention of Robin Hood, but in the way of he gone now, which is the way i like him best*  
Feeling drabbly today.  
JMo and the idea of backcombed hair wouldn't leave me alone.  
I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine and will be corrected when i notice them :p

* * *

Snow White, in all her wisdom – Regina can't help but roll her eyes at her own phrasing – has decreed that tonight there will be a gathering at Granny's. To celebrate.

Ingrid, dealt with. The Arendelle people. Gone. Emma's magic being on the fritz, calm. For now. Robin Hood… gone… The Dark One, gone… _Bookworms got teeth_ has never felt more apt Regina thinks. She is feeling… unsettled… because of Rumpels banishment. As tumultuous as their relationship has been, he has been a constant of sorts for a long time. Henry is well, Emma is well… The two idiots are well…

She remembers the swelling of her heart at her son's discovery at the mansion – the words "I'm in" teaching her once again how it felt to have to tell her face to behave. Emma's intelligent gaze steady as she told her once more she had promised her a happy ending. She has them. Hers.

She supposes Snow White is right, a celebration would not go amiss.

A celebration where attendees have to dress up as an animal? Regina sometimes has to bite her tongue and roll her eyes and clench her fists to stop herself from verbally reaming the woman. _For fun_ the other woman had crooned. Of all the asinine, vapid, _idiotic_ things-

"Mooooom," The brunettes thoughts turn outward as she hears her beloved sons careless call. He skids into view, socks slipping against the hardwood flooring. He is holding face paints in one hand and a striped length of cloth in the other. "Help me," She can't help but return his sunny smile, desperately soaking in the light that he brings to her life and gets to work with the paint.

"You will be the most handsome Zebra the town has ever seen, Henry," She finishes with a swift dab of black to his nose.

"Mom, I'm the only Zebra it's ever seen!" Henry pouts with an exaggerated huff before breaking into a laugh. "What are you going as?" His eyes narrow in that way that is just so similar to his other mother, "You _are_ going aren't you?"

Regina sits back, smoothing her skirt and not meeting his eyes, scrambling for the right words

"Henry, I-"

"Mom you have to stop this habit of hiding away. Emma and I promised we would help you get your happy ending didn't we? You have to trust that we both have your back and we don't want you sitting here, by yourself, with your scary face."

Regina finds herself speechless at her sons words, unable to respond in the face of such sincerity radiating from his young face.

"Fine… what shall I go as?" His smile is worth any frustrating situations.

* * *

She feels silly walking up to the door of the diner, bolstered only by the weight of Henrys hand pulling her gently and the solid feeling of courage his earlier words gave her.

Silliness that swiftly gives way to a faint feeling of smug superiority as she takes in various members of the town in their… costumes… such as they were.

Snow White was quite the sight in colourful feathers and a large beak mask perched staunchly on her face. Charming, the set of antlers really not seeming out of place. Leroy sat at the bar with an elephant mask carelessly thrown beside him. Ruby rocked – no other word would do justice – various fur garments and her faux claws attached to her fingers left no doubt as to what part of her she was bringing to the fore.

Elephants, tigers, a duck, assorted rodents… yes, the social elite of Storybrooke were pulling no punches when it came to variety.

She wondered, briefly, what Emma would be dressed as.

"RAWR" – Yellow abruptly obscured her vision causing her to jump back before raucous laughter and a firm hand seized her wrist.

Emma Swan, The Saviour, in all her glory – had backcombed her hair into some kind of wild, glorious mane. A lion. Regina smiled at the other woman as she 'roared' again and leant closer to doff the perfunctory cat ears sticking from her hair with a mighty paw.

"At least you also did the nose and whiskers," The blonde quipped.

Regina struggled to clear her brain from the sudden fog that had enveloped her. "Henry," she croaked.

"Of course," Emma grinned as through that was clearly the most obvious thing on the planet. Regina felt herself growing faint.

"Mom, Emma" Henry appeared out of nowhere "You kind of match, you are both cats! Let's get some cake!"

Regina met the Lion's amused eyes at their son, more being said with a single glance than was usually said in words between the two.

The lion.

Robin was gone.

Absolutely did not mean her happy ending was.

She let go of the lingering ties she had to the tattoo and the notion of predestined soulmates, let the lingering doubts drown in the rising tide that was Emma and her knowing looks.

"Hey pussy cat, we match apparently" The blonde smirked and bumped her hip against Regina, causing her to come back to the diner

"Meow" She drawled, lips quirking at the chuckle Emma let loose.

"Atta girl" winked the lion before gesturing towards the rest of her… no Regina corrected… _their _family and moving in that direction.

Regina followed this lion.


End file.
